


Goro Akechi's Culinary Crimes

by ProfessionalCatFan (idemandahug)



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Attempt at Humor, Bad Cooking, Cooking, M/M, Mutual Pining, goro akechi isn't honest with himself or anyone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:34:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24736246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idemandahug/pseuds/ProfessionalCatFan
Summary: To Goro's bewilderment, long-time friend Akira Kurusu has started cooking dinner for him. It's time to return the favour.Things can only go well.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira
Comments: 6
Kudos: 88





	Goro Akechi's Culinary Crimes

**Author's Note:**

> 'Sup. This was originally going to be a one-shot, but now it's being split into three chapters. I hope you enjoy Goro Akechi trying to deal with his feelings.

_ It'd be a shame to let such a nice kitchen go to waste _ , was the argument. Indeed, Goro would have let the chopping board collect dust in favour of instant meals and take-out had Akira Kurusu not claimed the kitchen as his own.

The situation still feels bizarre, unfortunately. Goro could count the amount of friends he's had in his life on one hand, but even he knows it's unusual friend behaviour to barge into someone's home once or twice or three times a week just for cooking.

On the plus side, he's guaranteed a free meal every time.

Akira arrives with a grocery bag full of fresh ingredients, since Goro forbade him from raiding the cupboards more than necessary. As he enters the apartment, he offers a quiet smile that Goro doesn’t quite return—though, not because he isn’t happy. Goro has to smile  _ so much  _ outside, but he can relax at home, no practiced faces or empty pleasantries. Just Goro Akechi without the glitter, and the boy who befriended him regardless. 

The apartment isn’t large; Akira often saunters around like he’s lived there for years. The kitchen is modern and clean, but the rest of Goro’s home feels unremarkable. His futon is in the corner at the other end of the room, near the desk and laptop he uses for studying. Last year he acquired a sofa and a small television, but he’s too busy to get much use out of them. Hidden away in his wardrobe is a box of old Featherman figures, which must never see the light of day. God only knows what Akira would think.

Despite knowing Akira since high school, Goro feels no closer to understanding him. He’s silent and contemplative, strong willed and confident. He’s the only one who makes Goro fight to win during their matches, be it billiards, darts, or chess—and yet, Goro once witnessed him chug an entire bottle of expired milk.

Akira is also a chronic meddler. Stealing Goro’s kitchen may be the most recent example, but not the first. Last Christmas, Sae Niijima burdened Goro with a small tomato plant as a present. Though he watered it everyday, the stupid thing quickly started to die. Goro was prepared to bear the title of  _ ‘plant murderer’  _ and move on with his life, but when Akira saw its pathetic, yellowing leaves he took it upon himself to save it. He brought plant nutrients with him the very next day; expensive ones, too.

The treacherous plant has flourished under Akira’s constant care far more than it ever did for Goro. It's perched on the windowsill even now, as though it had been anticipating Akira’s arrival. Goro hopes it knows he could easily throw it in the garbage one day. 

As Goro considers the rationale of threatening a plant, he hears Akira placing his ingredients on the kitchen countertop. Fresh onion, garlic, various spices, and more… Does he always put so much effort into his dinner?

“Curry again?”

“You know you love it,” Akira says, almost cocky.

He does. Not that Akira needs to know that.

Settling on the sofa, Goro pretends to read a book while craning his neck every so often to watch Akira. He’s wrapped an apron around himself, chopping vegetables to some subtle rhythm as his hands move in a practiced way. It’s almost mesmerising, and Goro has to force himself to look away before Akira notices him.

He considers studying while he waits, but, in all honesty, Goro’s far too tired for that today. He regularly makes up for his abysmal sleep schedule with coffee and sugar. It tends to work, for a little while. However, when the mighty beast  _ Exhaustion  _ readies its weapons, his coffee/sugar system is revealed to be nothing more than a house of cards. 

In other words, Goro Akechi really needs a nap.

Akira is humming now. It’s a gentle tune that Goro doesn’t recognise, but it soothes a scar on his heart. The tension keeping him upright starts to melt, until Goro’s fully resting against his sofa.

When he looks back on this moment, he’ll realise his fatal error was closing his eyes. 

…

…

_ Oh. _

He wakes with a jolt and knows something’s wrong, because the apartment is dark, and cold, and silent. His back and shoulders ache as he stands, eyes landing on the deserted kitchen. 

So, Goro fell asleep. And then Akira left. He probably didn’t want to disturb Goro’s rest, since he’s (kind), (considerate),  _ stupid  _ like that. But when Akira cooks, they eat together—an unspoken rule that Goro, it seems, had taken for granted. Perhaps their time together was meaningless, to Akira at least.

And then, Goro sees something on the countertop: a plate of curry, the remnant of Akira’s visit. There’s a note next to it that reads,  _ “Eat up! But make sure you heat it first!”  _ with a smiley face scribbled underneath.

“Idiot,” he mutters, though he doesn’t know if he’s addressing Akira or himself.

The curry is as delicious as always.

It feels like sludge in his mouth. 


End file.
